(Topic ID: 165029)

Are instruction cards text copyrighted?

By Litedpinballmods

7 years ago


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    #5 7 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    *Technically* any bodies of text are copyrighted.

    Nope.

    1. A statement of facts cannot be copyrighted as there is nothing creative embodied in same (e.g. a baseball score)

    2. A creative description of the events that led to the score is copyrighted at creation (e.g. the play-by-play depiction of the same game.)

    Where the line is in the OP's case isn't clear at all but a bland statement of game rules facially looks to be closer to #1 than #2.

    Remember that copyrights come into existence at the point of creation; registration of a copyright changes "actual damages" into the risk of statutory damages (if you get sued); the latter is BAD NEWS, which is why people register copyrights.

    Other potential issues are, as noted, a custom font if one was created and used (which can be and probably has been copyrighted) and any logos which may be on the card (which, for all intents and purposes should always be considered trademarked because they essentially always are.)

    #16 7 years ago

    ^^ That

    **Facts** are not copyrightable material.
    **Expression** is copyrighted *when it occurs.*

    If you *observe* that dropping all five targets in a bank lights Extra Ball the first time, and Special the second, and state that in your own words, you are stating *facts.* The facts cannot be protected.

    The *expression* is protected at the time of creation (by you, by them, etc.) and often is registered (it's not expensive to do so and in fact is easier now than it used to be since you can upload digital copies rather than having to mail them) so as to make possible statutory damages.

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